someone please explain mise en place

[the_seraphim]

ok so i think i get it... its your area/kitchen being set up how YOU like it... your knives are were you want them to be everything in its place and a place for everything... you dont have to hunt for something... you know exactly where it is...

is that right/it?

i keep hearing chefs complain that they have to "re-do my mise en place" and im thinking... what the blooming heck is that, cause i dont do one at all i dont think... at least im not thinking "time to do my mise en place"

or am i just laid back?

[Blueicus]

Usually for me means the material ingredient prep for line cooking/service, either raw or cooked.

[Ma Facon]

Originally Posted by the_seraphim

ok so i think i get it... its your area/kitchen being set up how YOU like it... your knives are were you want them to be everything in its place and a place for everything... you dont have to hunt for something... you know exactly where it is...

is that right/it?

i keep hearing chefs complain that they have to "re-do my mise en place" and im thinking... what the blooming heck is that, cause i dont do one at all i dont think... at least im not thinking "time to do my mise en place"

or am i just laid back?

Without googling, mise en place is everything (all ingredients) That one needs to put together any and all menu items that the chef is responsible for. Example: Prepared shrimp,Garlic,White wine, Butter for a simple, Shrimp dish. And it can be quite complicated as the menu/recipes demand. You get the idea.

I am sure someone else will chime in with what ther idea is.............

[the_seraphim]

oohhhh... i have one of those... we (me, jon the sous and the head chef) sat with the spec sheets for the menu and a pad of paper, and we worked out between us what we wanted where and what to prep when and stuff

we open this wednesday (28th dec) and me the sous and the head chef will be there tomorrow (tue 27th) to get all the prep done, all the batch recipes for sauces, the provencal sauce, the salsa verdi for the salmon, the bechamel sauce for the pies (oh yeah baby... home made pies!) thinkin on it... i have to make the pies too lol, get the meat ready... got some fancy ovens that cook overnight then hold it to temp till you need it, my god the meat comes out of there so tender, so flavourfull

veg prep needs doing tomorrow too...


hehe... in that case my mise en place is very important... and if those darned part timers mess up the walkin or put peeled spuds away without covering them with water im gonna kill em... lol... oh well wednesday should be quiet, all our advertisements said 3rd dec opening, but were opening for service (no bookings) from the 28th to get up to speed without suddenly hitting a wall of bookings for 6pm or whatever...

[jigz369]

mise en place = everything in it's place
This means EVERYTHING! All food stuffs, all plates, all utensils, etc.
Just my opinion though....

[prochefjim1]

Originally Posted by the_seraphim

ok so i think i get it... its your area/kitchen being set up how YOU like it... your knives are were you want them to be everything in its place and a place for everything... you dont have to hunt for something... you know exactly where it is...

is that right/it?

i keep hearing chefs complain that they have to "re-do my mise en place" and im thinking... what the blooming heck is that, cause i dont do one at all i dont think... at least im not thinking "time to do my mise en place"

or am i just laid back?

The CHEF sets up the kitchen on how he wants things placed...He makes the Prep Lists for the different stations and where things go and how...UNLESS you are the head guy, YOU don't set things up the way YOU want them...Reason is, if someone walks into your stations for what ever reason (cross training) things should be in the same place and ready to go, not having to stop/search for this or that (wasting time)...Who is in charge?

[Chef Deb]

Originally Posted by the_seraphim

ok so i think i get it... its your area/kitchen being set up how YOU like it... your knives are were you want them to be everything in its place and a place for everything... you dont have to hunt for something... you know exactly where it is...

is that right/it?

i keep hearing chefs complain that they have to "re-do my mise en place" and im thinking... what the blooming heck is that, cause i dont do one at all i dont think... at least im not thinking "time to do my mise en place"

or am i just laid back?

mise en place is if there is garlic to be minced, carrots peeled, poatoes peeled, onions and stuff. and also if you need to carrots, onion, celery anda sachet for stocks.

Debbie

[Risque Cakes]

Originally Posted by jigz369

mise en place = everything in it's place
This means EVERYTHING! All food stuffs, all plates, all utensils, etc.
Just my opinion though....

That's what we were taught in school too...Mise en Place...everything in it's place...( ready to go!)

[Montelago]

Jigz and prochef got it right. Regardless of what station you are working, every single item, from soup to nuts that you will need to produce evry item on that station during service, or during your prep shift, or dish tank shift. I especially like the part about the chef dictating where everything goes. I have a saying that I like to use. It says that if you come into my office with some ideas, you will leave with my ideas. I am not interested in what you think, I am only interested in the fact that you understand what I think.

[shroomgirl]

in off site catering...it includes EVERYTHING.
the schedule, the timelines, the necessary equipment, lighting, the decor, the pans, the cambros, the food, the beverage, the station to put all the dirties in...everything necessary to do the job.....

not just the "food ingredients".

[Goose]

I learned that mise en place means just what most people here are saying. EVERYTHING needs to be in its proper place. This includes all food stuffs, equipment, tools, everything needs to be set up in its proper place so that you can do your job. All chopping needs to be chopped. All knives and other tools needs to be within arm's reach. All pans, pots, etc. need to be within your immediate vicinity. Generally speaking, what mise means is have everything ready to go so that you can cook what you need to cook without wasting time with any preparation when the tickets come in.

[Rblum]

i have found that the level of completion of my mise is indirectly proportionate to the volume of business.

[link138]

We actually had a daily list when i was in school for our mis en place:

1.Cutting board
2.wet towel underneath
3.ONLY needed knives
4.equipment mis enplace- bain marie filled with sanitizer water and ONE of every small hand utensil in the kitchens arsenal
5. Towel for wiping
6. bench scraper


PEACE OUT

[Sleepy_Dragon]

And then there is the concept of "mental mise en place", where you thought about what you have to do the night before, so when you walk in, you hit the ground running and multitask your way through the mise list easily because you'd already planned the night before what needed doing first and in what order!

[shroomgirl]

ooooo.....love that one! very appropriate in personal cheffing as well as catering too.
Timelines. What do you have to start first to flow smoothly....ie, if you are braising or roasting, that goes into the turned on oven, which is the first thing you do upon entering a home approx 350-375* works.....figure out what needs to be chopped....normally onions/garlic.....for soups, stews, braises, sautes.....work through the desserts to figure out baking time and oven space. Mental Mise is what makes personal cheffing always a challenge.